The simple pleasures of Eid: Family, flowers and piles of sweets

By Sarah Brown and Stina Backer, for CNN

Updated 1859 GMT (0159 HKT) August 9, 2013

Your Eid celebrations photos16 photos

Hands on at Taj Mahal – During an Eid spent in India, Laurens Meulman, 35, from the Netherlands, spotted an irresistible photo-opportunity after she'd been invited to share food with a family in a square behind the Taj Mahal. "The henna-painted hands of one of the women in the group caught my eye and I asked her if I could to take a photo," she said.

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Dress to impress – This Eid 3-year-old Mazin from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia will be wearing a brand new customized thobe. His father Yassir Nassif said that for most people Eid is a family holiday where you go from house to house to visit relatives they never got around to visit during the rest of the year. "We have scheduled breakfasts, lunches and dinners. I never knew how exhausting it was on my parents until I became one myself, but I enjoyed it as a kid and would love my children to have the same pleasures."

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Your Eid celebrations photos16 photos

Old Delhi food rush – The hustle and bustle of the Matia Mahal bazaar close to Old Delhi's principal mosque Jama Masjid was captured on film by 70-year-old Ramesh Lalwani. The samosas are in the process of being fried and the pakoras, jalebis and gulab jamuns are ready for sale to the Eid crowds.

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Your Eid celebrations photos16 photos

Feeding Cape Town – The night cooking at the Nakhlistan Eid-al-fitr Feeding Scheme in Cape Town, South Africa was captured by Amien Phillips. More than 69,000 people were fed and five tons of meat, four tons of rice, 2.7 tons of potatoes, 850 kilograms of onions, 27,000 pieces of wood and 151 pots were used.

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Fruits, treats and temples – This colorful feast of a photo was taken by Ashish Tibrewal in his native Mumbai, India, during Eid in 2009. "Being a Hindu, I do not celebrate Eid myself but I visit my Muslim friends to greet them on Eid, and it's a great symbol of peace and brotherhood between different religions," he said.

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Your Eid celebrations photos16 photos

Streets of brotherly love – This moment of brotherly love was taken by Anupama Kinagi in Mumbai, India: "Muslims had just offered prayers and were wishing each other a very happy Eid. It is absolutely fine to hug and wish strangers on this auspicious occasion. The police officer specially arranges for rose flowers and greets Muslims outside Masjid on this special day. The Muslims accept their wishes and thank them for their extraordinary service," said the 37-year-old graphic designer.

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Your Eid celebrations photos16 photos

Eid Brooklyn style – "There are four mosques in the immediate neighborhood and each one celebrates Eid slightly differently," said Stephanie Keith from Bedford-Stuyvesant, a part of Brooklyn that has become a popular area for African immigrants. "One mosque has the street blocked off during prayer time and all the worshippers fill the streets. Another mosque blocks off the street for the whole day and has a street party. But at every mosque, people don their fanciest outfit of the year most in an African style," said the 47-year-old travel journalist who used to live and work in Egypt.

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Sweet tooth in Benghazi – Sammi Addahoumi, 30, from South Carolina snapped this photo of a Benghazi sweet shop while traveling through Libya for Ramadan. "Sweets, especially during Ramadan, offer a guiltless pleasure that all of Benghazi can indulge in," he said. The sweets in this photo are called Kunafah and are filled with almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, cashews, cheese, cream, or cream cheese.

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Rows of silence – Anupama Kinagi, 37, shot this photo of Muslims in prayer from a terrace near the Hamidiya Masjid mosque in Mumbai, India. He said he wanted to capture the geometric pattern formed by so many bowed heads and bodies: "It was a beautiful morning. The sky was clear. There were hundreds of men gathered to prayer as a ritual. The men were dressed in Kurta Pajama. The place was noisy but as soon as the prayers started it was so peaceful and pin drop silence. After the prayers everyone hugged and greeted each other 'Eid Mubarak'."

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Your Eid celebrations photos16 photos

Waving the flag for Eid – This photo of a young Muslim boy was taken by Dinesh Maneer, from Bangalore, India. "Though I am from a different religion I was invited by a friend to the mosque for photographing the celebrations," said the 33-year-old engineer.

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Your Eid celebrations photos16 photos

Henna on the beach – In this photo Farrah Azam can be seen drawing one of her henna designs in the sand at a beach in Antalya, Turkey. The 26-year-old henna artist from London creates bespoke designs but unusually she paints it on canvases and other objects rather than on body parts.

"I am a practicing Muslim who participates in the month of fasting. Eid marks the end of the month of fasting and I celebrate it with my family and friends by visiting the mosque for the special Eid prayer, having a lavish meal, exchanging gifts and meeting relatives," she said.

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Your Eid celebrations photos16 photos

Eid traditions in Trinidad and Tobago – Renisha Leah Bisnath took this photo of a local mosque in her native Trinidad and Tobago where Eid is one of the year's biggest celebrations. "It is a special local custom for the Muslims in my neighborhood to invite us over at their house for food."Here in Trinidad, people of different religious backgrounds live in harmony. Many of my best friends are Muslims, so maybe one or two days during the month of Ramadan, I try to observe the fast to experience what it is like. I must say, it is very enriching," said the 21-year-old medical student.

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Eid in a refugee camp – This photo of Syrian refugee children was taken last year at the Hatay's Yayladağı refugee camp in Turkey by TV journalist Can Hasasu. "Eid, or Bayram as we call it in Turkey, is like Christmas for children, a cheerful feast. They collect money and gifts. Families buy new clothes for them. It was sad to see these children behind the fences of the camp. No money, no new clothes, no gifts and for some no family anymore. Despite all the sufferings in their country these children were smiling," said the 36-year-old from Istanbul.

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A very special Eid family portrait – Dina Syazwani Sipal Anuwar, a 24-year-old teacher from Selangor in Malaysia, took this photo of her family celebrating Eid last year. The photo means a lot to her as it was the last Eid she was able to spend with her father Sipal, a policeman, who unexpectedly passed away in January 2013. It was also the first time the family had ever managed to color coordinate their outfits. "I think it was one of the signs that father would be leaving us, last Eid we could take a perfect photo as a whole family," said Dina, pictured top left. This year the family have decided to all wear pink.

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Spectacular shopping center decorations – This beautiful Eid decoration entitled Pillars of Celebration can be seen in a shopping center in Damansara, a suburb to Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur. "From the picture, you can see that it's actually a stage, build on the roof while the shoppers shop below. It's the best Eid decoration in town I've seen so far," said 34-year-old Raja Marliza Safia who shared he photo with CNN via Instagram.

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The long journey home – In Bangladesh it is common for the city folks to return home to their villages in the days leading up to Eid to avoid the last-minute rush, according to Ata Mohammad Adnan from Chittagong. "Railways prove to be a popular form of transport, but the numbers of seats available don't do justice to the number of prospective passengers. The journey they are making is of great significance because I believe the journeys that take you home are always the most meaningful," said the 24-year-old doctor.

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Story highlights

Eid, or Eid al-Fitr, marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting in Islam

We asked for readers' best Eid memories and photos via CNN iReport

Photos showing local Eid celebrations flooded in from Trinidad and Tobago to India

Food, family, celebration and charity were some of the most important themes

For the world's Muslims, the festival of Eid al-Fitr is a perfect conclusion to Ramadan -- the month-long period of fasting and contemplation practiced by observers of Islam around the globe. One of the most festive periods in the religion's calendar, Eid is often commemorated with large feasts, family-time, and through charitable acts and donations.

As part of CNN's series celebrating the most spectacular festivals and events across the globe, we asked our readers to share their images of Eid traditions, both past and present. In response, we discovered a rich narrative of the holiday, and customs as diverse as the people who celebrate them.

For Yassir O. Nassif in Saudi Arabia, Eid means measuring his three-year-old son Mazin up for new clothes, in this case a brand new customized thobe, a traditional ankle length garment commonly worn in Gulf countries. But the holiday is not just about the outfits -- it's about the family, he says.

"We have scheduled breakfasts, lunches and dinners -- I never knew how exhausting it was on my parents until I became one myself," he said. "But I enjoyed it as a kid and would love my children to have the same pleasures. After all it's only three days, better make the best of them and make each day count!"

How do you welcome summer? 18 photos

How do you welcome summer?18 photos

Solstice celebrations around the world – Summer solstice, the longest day of the year, arrives in the Northern Hemisphere on June 21. It's a time when bonfires are lit, traditional songs are sung and more often than not, clothes come off. Robban Kanto and his friends, who celebrated the longest day in Zinkgruvan in Sweden last year, couldn't resist a quick skinny-dip before the night was up.

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

How do you welcome summer? – There weren't many more clothes on display at the Santa Barbara 3-day summer solstice parade last year. "It's one of the largest, most festive, and longest-running events of its kind in the U.S." said Scott London, who documented the event.

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

How do you welcome summer? – In Germany, the distinctive 'Externsteine' rock formation is an important venue for large festivals during the longest day of the year, similar to the UK celebrations at Stonehenge. Bernd Mestermann, who took this photo, has been going to this German event for 20 years.

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

Solstice celebrations around the world – In Sweden, where Midsummer is one of the biggest celebrations of the year, singing and dancing are central to the fun and frolics. But before all that the maypole has to be decorated and raised. Ulf Bodin took this photo in the small town of Sigtuna, an hour north of Stockholm.

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

Solstice celebrations around the world – After the Swedish midsummer maypole has been raised, it's time for the dancing, which, to outsiders, might look odd, embarrassing and weird. But don't laugh! The Swedes take their Midsummer dancing very seriously. This photo, shot by Mats Edenius, shows the end of the "rocket" dance. "It starts with low clapping going more intense, trying to make as much noise as possible. Then it takes off and everybody jumps synchronized."

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

Solstice celebrations around the world – 64-year-old Janto Marzuki captured these images of a typical Stockholm midsummer celebration in 2008, in the historic open air museum and zoo 'Skansen', where you can relive the days before the industrialization and see people dressed up in Swedish traditional dresses.

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

How do you welcome summer? – This shot, however, is the real deal. It was taken in 1957 by iReporter Paul Jackson's uncle Sven Eric Andersson on Midsummer's Day on the Swedish island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. Jackson, who is half Swedish, says he is very proud of his ancestry and that he always "pauses a moment to think of my Swedish relatives on midsummer evening."

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

How do you welcome summer? – Traditional costumes are also an important part of the midsummer celebrations in Novo Cice, a small village in central Croatia. They organize a folklore festival every year to celebrate the arrival of summer and birth of St. John the Baptist. "During the years, the festival has become bigger and we have started to get visits by folklore societies from nearby countries," says the photographer Vedran.

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

Solstice celebrations around the world – Valeria85 took this photo in the cathedral of Bari, Italy. She says that only during summer solstice does the light coming from the ceiling align perfectly onto the special mosaic pattern. Watching this "game of light" in the cathedral has been her midsummer tradition for a couple of years and she will be there again this year.

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

Solstice celebrations around the world – In Denmark it's common to have big bonfires during summer solstice. Londoner Mitchel David Needham attended the Danish 'Sankt Hans Aften' in 2011. "Whilst the bonfire was burning, several bands performed, a lot of families played games with their children around the fire and young people were drinking and generally having a great time!"

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

Solstice celebrations around the world – "The Uluu Ot, or Sacred Fire, has been remembered in Kyrgyz oral storytelling for 40,000 years. The Uluu Ot was rekindled in Kyrgyzstan on the summer solstice of 2010, attended by traditional cultural practitioners representing the Central Asian migration out of Africa," says iReporter Maryka Ives Paquette

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

How do you welcome summer? – The bonfires are also one of the highlights during Norwegian midsummer, or 'Sankthansaften'. This photo taken by Jon-Arne Belsaas in 2009 shows one of the world's largest bonfire made of barrels. He had hurried back to the town of Bergen from his work on a Navy ship to witness it. "I wanted to catch this magnificent sight," he says.

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

How do you welcome summer? – In Finland the midsummer celebrations are called 'Juhannus'. "Lots of people- friends and family- gather together somewhere near water and set up a huge bonfire called "Kokko" and usually drink lots of alcohol and go to the sauna. That's just somehow the Finnish thing," says 24-year-old Tom Rantala who took this photo during midsummer celebrations in 2011.

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

Solstice celebrations around the world – Witnessing the summer solstice in Scandinavia is an experience many from abroad want to experience at least once in their lives. Luke Isaac and his wife are currently enjoying their first midsummer in Finland. He took this photo June 17 at the Lake Äkäslompolo in Lapland, a region stretching across Norway, Finland, Sweden and Russia. He said they will watch the bonfire. "All is quiet at the moment".

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

How do you welcome summer? – For those living far from home, midsummer traditions can be a way to reconnect with one's roots. Darius Kuzmickas shared this photo from a midsummer celebration by the Lithuanian community in Portland, Oregon . "We sing and dance until sunset."

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

How do you welcome summer? – For some, summer is marked by special foods. The San Diego Fair tends to adventurous taste buds during summer months. Californian Chris Morrow starts her summer by trying the fair's food. This photo shows her husband's Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe. "It's a taste conflict of sweet and savory that are not complimentary. The confusion in your mouth is weird and awesome!"

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

Solstice celebrations around the world – Food is indeed an important part in many solstice celebrations, especially in Sweden. 35-year-old Robban Kanto documented last year's midsummer celebrations with his friends where they served traditional midsummer food, like pickled herring, hard bread, caviar on egg and meatballs.

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How do you welcome summer?18 photos

Solstice celebrations around the world – If summer solstice celebrations sound too stressful, there is always the option to join the 'Solstice in Times Square' event in New York City, where thousands of people practice yoga together. "Yoga has always been associated with the sun as a life-giving and healing force," says Asterio Tecson, who took these photos in 2012.

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The world's best fireworks displays 19 photos

The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

Beginner's luck – For the first few weeks in July, night skies on both sides of the Atlantic are lit up by spectacular fireworks -- from America's 4th July to Bastille Day in France, with a host of international fireworks competitions in between. To honor this pyrotechnic frenzy, we asked you to send us some of your sparkiest fireworks shots from across the world.

Marcia Taylor's day job, as a British Airways' cabin crew member, takes her all over the world -- but the 27-year-old never travels anywhere without her camera. Believe it or not but this was her first time shooting fireworks. She traveled to Paris especially for the fireworks on Bastille Day last year.

"It was a disco theme, the music started and as soon as the fireworks began the crowd had a fantastic atmosphere, every single person was on their feet singing along not taking their eyes of the fireworks," she says.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

A revolutionary tale – Photographer Martin Castellan, 62, took this color cascading photo of the Bastille Day fireworks in the city of Carcassonne in the south of France. Bastille Day is celebrated on July 14 and commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison in Paris in 1789 -- an event which triggered the French Revolution.

Mr Castellan says the city's 11th century castle was built by the Cathars, a Christian sect seeking protection from the Pope's armies, and in 1991 it doubled for Nottingham in Kevin Costner's Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves film.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

A fortnight of fireworks – Daniel Kahan Patu snapped this photo of the Bastille Day fireworks from his in-laws' home in Paris. The 30-year-old art director says he could smell the smoke from the fireworks that were two kilometers away, just by standing near the apartment window.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

Glamorous Cannes – Min Zaw Mra is originally from Yangon in Myanmar but in 2003 he was doing an internship in Nice, France. When the fireworks festival in Cannes was on that summer he decided to go armed with his camera.

"They were, by far, the best fireworks displays I have ever seen. I remember vividly how I felt watching these fireworks. The sky was so beautifully lit by amazing shapes and colors. The background music made it so much more special. Seeing these fireworks made me feel like I was in a fantasy world in a fairy tale," says the 33-year-old computer software developer.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

Rooftop marks the spot – This beautifully composed photo of the Montreal skyline was taken by Mark Connor from the rooftop of a friend's apartment block during the annual Montreal fireworks competitions. The photo shows the Jacques Cartier Bridge, the Old Palace de Justice and the old Town Hall.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

Death (and fireworks) in Venice – Between 1575 and 1577 a horrible plague swept through Venice, killing one-third of the city's inhabitants. When the epidemic was halted the Senate, thanking the Redeemer Jesus Christ for answering its prayers, started an annual festival. Today, the Notte del Redentore is a great excuse for a party with fireworks. Local Stefano Baliello managed to capture this shot while hanging on to the railing of a boat among the thousands of revelers in July 2009.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

London lights up – Kenneth Ngyuwai celebrated the first moments of 2013 in London where he snapped the crescendo of the New Year's Eve fireworks display on the river Thames.

"Fireworks never fail to amaze me. One might say that everything there is to a firework is just a can of chemicals that produces bright light when exploded in mid-air. However, when choreographed properly as in this case with the London Eye, it creates a spectacular once-in-a-lifetime show that everyone can enjoy and talk about with their friends for years to come," he says.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

Pyromusical parade – Rob Watling taught himself to take photos of fireworks when he decided to work part-time for Britannia Fireworks. He took this spectacular shot at the Southport Pyromusical Championships in summer of 2012. "There's a bit of an art to it (and quite a lot of luck!) but I really enjoy the challenge of trying to convey the movement and combination of the different fireworks," the 57-year-old Executive Coach says.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

Magnificent Montreal – Every year Montreal celebrates summer with a series of magnificent fireworks displays by countries from all over the globe. For Mingyang Sun, the 29-year-old molecular biologist who took this photo of Pont Jacque-Cartier in Old Port Montreal, the fireworks act as a reward to the people of the city who have been anticipating summer after the long winter. "The firework decorating the night sky of this romantic city is one of the most celebrated events of the locals," he says.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

SuperSonic sky – Travis Tyler captured this stunning moment when fireworks lit up the skies over Seattle on Fourth of July in 2009. Travis was standing on Alki Beach in West Seattle and had the perfect view of the iconic Space Needle.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

Year of the dragon – Bacolod City in the Philippines has a yearly celebration for the Chinese New Year called Bacolaodiat. "Bacolaodiat is a combination of two words - Bacolod and laodiat which means festive in Chinese," says 61-year-old local resident and businessman Billy Lopue.

The photo was taken on January 23 in 2012, which was the year of the dragon. "The place was crowded with people also waiting for the fireworks display," he added.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

Bottle rocket – Dan Anderson managed to capture the moment his nephew launched a bottle rocket across one of Minnesota's many lakes, Lake Kronis, during the Fourth of July in 2012. They had carefully prepared everything to take the perfect photo, counting the seconds it took from lighting the fuse to the explosion of the firework and arranging the camera on a tripod. "We did it in one take and then ran away because the mosquitoes were eating us alive," he says.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

Empire State of mind – Marlon Flores from Morganville, New Jersey, started shooting fireworks two years ago and he is now hooked. For this year's Fourth of July he was determined to get a super snap of Macy's firework display in New York City. "Empire State is a nickname for New York and is generally thought of as an American history landmark. I thought that capturing the landmark during the Fourth of July fireworks is one way of seeing how great America is," says the 39-year-old IT consultant.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

Window seat on Fourth of July – Paul Ringsted was quite surprised when he saw that he had managed to capture the moment a plane flew just in front of the fireworks display in Washington DC.

"I was amazed that I had captured the plane just at the right moment - we had been talking on the roof about the planes coming across the fireworks and how close they must have been, I had no idea I had this shot until I looked through the photos afterwards, " says Mr Ringsted who is originally from the UK but has lived in the U.S. for 16 years. To him the most special thing about Fourth of July is seeing America come together to celebrate its history.

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Out of the ballpark – Frank Vitucci, 37, took this colorful photo during this year's Fourth of July fireworks display at the New York Mets Citi Field ballpark. "The game was delayed two hours, so I had to wait until 12:30am to capture the images. I had just enough time to catch my train back to Connecticut," says the Director of Photography.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

A fortnight of fireworks – Photographer Edmund Lowe captured this stunning photo of the fireworks over Legoe Bay, Lummi Island in Washington State on the Fourth of July in 2011. "Fireworks make adults turn into kids again," he says. He also has some great tips for those wanting to capture iconic fireworks shots:

"The main requirement is a tripod, I use a sandbag or some other heavy object to make sure there is no tripod shake. Long exposures, up to ten seconds are required. I generally use an f-stop of f/11 to f/16 and a shutter speed of two-ten seconds. The longer exposures will also give you time for multiple reports to be visible. This fills the sky with the sparkles."

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

A night lit by magic – This photo was taken on May 12, 2013 at Disney World's Magic Kingdom at the daily fireworks show called the Wishes Nighttime Spectacular. "The fireworks were well synchronized with the music being played in the background and was arranged in a manner that all visitors will get a good view with the castle as the backdrop," says Kenneth Ngyuwai from Daytona Beach, Florida who captured the castle in all its glory.

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The world's best fireworks displays19 photos

Spinning around Ramstein Air Base – Technical Sergeant Ernel R. Carty Jr. of the United States Air Force captured the light of the spinning Ferris wheel at the Fourth of July celebrations at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany. "It was spectacular for a multitude of reasons. To begin, it was a military celebration that opened with the German and American National Anthems. Just the opening itself set the stage for what my family and I thought were one of the most patriotic and spectacular firework displays that we have ever had the pleasure to see. The display lasted for at least 30 minutes of non-stop fireworks," said the 31-year-old who is originally from Belle Glade, Florida.

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Japanese firework feast in Germany – Tom Johlen took this photo during the Japan Day in Düsseldorf. It's a German-Japanese festival held every year in May or June. There are around 8,000 Japanese living in Düsseldorf, and the city celebrates it by arranging this festival. During the day there are music and art performances on stage and at night a Japanese firework display starts. "I like the beautiful colors and the different designs and forms of the fireworks," he says.

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Your Diwali shots from around the world 22 photos

Your Diwali shots from around the world22 photos

The colors of Diwali – This image of colorful powders, which are used to make rangoli artworks during Diwali, was snapped by iReporter Digamber Singh Rayamajhi as he walked through the busy streets of Kathmandu, Nepal.

"As it is Diwali time the roads were bustling with people coming to shop," he says. "There were lot of little street shops on the pedestrian foot paths selling candles, colors, spices. I thought it looked beautiful and I just clicked few pics through my cell phone."

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Diwali down under – Alam Singh captured this cool image of Diwali celebrations in downtown Melbourne, Australia. "There were many dance performances by local and foreign talent, and of course the 8000 plus people in the crowd dancing too," he says.

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Caribbean celebrations – For Roger Seepersad from the Caribbean island of Trinidad, Diwali offers the perfect opportunity to snap some spectacular images. "Diwali is special to me because being a photographer, I am into light. It is the Festival of Light," he says. This photo shows actors praying at the end of a re-enactment of the life of the Indian king Lord Ram. Seepersad says the play runs for two hours every night for ten nights in the run-up to Diwali.

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The art of henna – Artist and fashion designer Hyacinthe Kaur decided to adorn her hands with henna art when she was shopping for Diwali in a busy bazaar in Klang, Malaysia. "There were a few henna artists around, but this particular applier seemed to put a lot of heart, thought and dedicated effort into her work," she says. "After the design was complete, I felt so overwhelmed and happy with the results -- it put a big smirk on my face."

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Kidding around – Manish Kanojia took this image of his daughter, Kyra, reaching out to touch ceramic artifacts on sale at a market in New Delhi, India. The ornamental items are a popular buy around Diwali time when "people use them to decorate their homes," he says.

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Diwali decorations – Monika Khaled captured this image of colorful jewellery boxes in Singapore's Little India district as preparations were being made for this year's Diwali festivities. For the duration of the celebration, local markets sell all manner of traditional Indian decorations "such as clay candles, welcome banners and sweet cookies," she says.

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Rangoli sands – This brightly colored photo was taken by Manish Kanojia in the "happening" Sector 18 of the Noida district in New Delhi. The colored sand on sale is for making Rangolis, decorative floor designs made to welcome guests and encourage the goddess Lakshmi inside during Diwali. "Most people buy the sand and make their own, or they buy readymade stencils," Kanojia says.

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Festival of lights – iReporter Malliqa Luthra took this photo of a magnified "diya" (a traditional oil lamp made from clay) on her phone at the Select Citywalk Mall in New Delhi, India. The ceremonial candle "is a symbol of happiness, prosperity and is lit in abundance during the festival of Diwali," she says. "I love the spirit of togetherness and the warmth shared between people during the festival. Also, I love decorating my house with candles and 'diyas'."

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Singapore celebrates – This photo of Serangoon Road, the main thoroughfare of Singapore's Little India, was snapped by Suresh Adiyeri Paikat. Indians make up 8% of Singapore's population and just over 4% are Hindus, according to the Singapore government.

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Diwali street art – A rangoli artwork, as created and captured by iReporter Kshitij Sharma, adorns a sidewalk in Pune, India. "I think this festival reminds us to stay away from bad things and to promote communal harmony," he says. "The main highlight is of course the lights, at night whole cities and towns look lovely because of the lights."

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Bustling bazaar – Manish Kanojia took this photograph whilst shopping at the Sadar Bazar in Delhi, one of the busiest wholesale markets in India. According to Kanojia it is famous for Diwali shopping. He says the day he captured the image "the markets were crowded [and] people were happily shopping around for gifts and decoration stuff."

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Spiritual healing – Stephen Ravndal of Boston, Massachusetts, took this photo of a woman lighting a candle to mark the beginning of Diwali whilst wandering the backstreets of Boudnath, Nepal. "The woman's attention to detail and devotion are plainly obvious and the lights, which are such an integral part of the festival, really capture a warm and serene mood," he says.

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Your Diwali shots from around the world22 photos

Kaleidoscope of color – This photo from instagrammer Shaikh Rahil Ibrahim shows a large colorful rangoli in a shopping mall in Mumbai, India. Rangoli artworks are a common site outside Indian homes and in public spaces throughout Diwali.

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Your Diwali shots from around the world22 photos

Bright lights – A vivid neon sign celebrating Diwali hangs above Singapore's Little India district. The image was captured by iReporter, Monika Khaled, an Austrian living and working in the populous Asian city state. "Deepavali in Singapore is a great event visited by visitors and locals alike and not just Indians," she says

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Your Diwali shots from around the world22 photos

Sweet moments – This image captured by Hyacinthe Kaur shows a selection of Diwali sweets on display at a market in the city of Klang, Malaysia. "The Festivals of Lights is a joyous occasion where people come together to dance, sing, eat delicious Indian food, embrace culture, share, worship, smile, shop and experience a burst of colors," she says.

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Your Diwali shots from around the world22 photos

Candle vigil – Diwali is a festival that provides the opportunity to celebrate life with colors as well as lights, says Dinesh Thakur of Pune, India. "It symbolizes victory of good over evil - light defeating darkness. It teaches us to have faith in the 'good' and not give into the darkness," he adds. He took this image of a single candle resting above a rangoli artwork to mark the start of this year's festival.

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Your Diwali shots from around the world22 photos

Symmetrical statues – This picture was captured by iReporter Rohan Pavgi and displays miniature-statues of the Goddess Lakshmi for sale in a market in Pune, India. He says the neat manner in which the statues are aligned emphasizes an important part of Hindu beliefs and tradition."[Lakshmi] is worshiped by those who wish to acquire or to preserve wealth. It is believed that (wealth) goes only to those houses which are clean and where the people are hardworking," he says. "She does not visit the places which are dirty or where the people are lazy."

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Your Diwali shots from around the world22 photos

Flower power – The vibrantly colored flowers in this picture, captured in Secunderabad, India, display the electrifying energy that Diwali brings, says iReporter Temitope Adekanbi. "The cultural emphasis [of] the idea of 'good trumping evil' through the use of bright colors, firecrackers, lights, and lamps, I believe, add a powerful and magical element to the day," she says.

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Your Diwali shots from around the world22 photos

Diwali first – "This is my daughter Kyra doing Goddess Luxmi worship," says avid iReporter Manish Kanojia from New Delhi. According to her dad, Kyra thoroughly enjoyed her first ever festival of lights although "she was slightly scared of the Diwali crackers."

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Your Diwali shots from around the world22 photos

Karachi fireworks – Syed Yasir Kazmi captured this photo of Diwali celebrations in Karachi, Pakistan. "Everyone was happy, distributing sweets, doing prayer of Lukshmi Devi, and enjoying fireworks," he says. "What was most special to me was the happiness and joy on everyone's faces."

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Your Diwali shots from around the world22 photos

'Illuminating hope' – New Delhi based student, Tazeen Qureshy, snapped this image whilst visiting her home-town of Bhubaneswar, eastern India during Diwali. "For me, Diwali is a festival to enjoy with family and friends and most importantly it illumines lives with new energy and hope," she says.

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Your Diwali shots from around the world22 photos

Face of Lakshmi – Sobhana Venkatesan lives in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. The photo depicts an "Amman Alankaram " of Goddess Lakshmi. It was made by covering sandalwood paste on a dehusked coconut shell before Lakshmi's facial features were painted in. "Prayers offered to Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi, during Diwali celebrations beckons prosperity into our homes and lives," says the 52-year-old.

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EXPAND GALLERY

The wearing of new clothes and looking one's best for the festivities can, for women, extend to the hennaing of hands -- a ritual captured by Laurens Meulman while visiting Agra, home of the iconic Taj Mahal in India.

"The henna-painted hands of one of the women in the group caught my eye and I asked her if I could to take a photo," Meulman said. Though not Muslim herself, she says the holiday always reminds her of "good food, sweets, sharing, being with family and generosity. "

Respect and appreciation for others was also on the mind of graphic designer Anupama Kinagi in Mumbai, India, when he captured this affectionate moment outside a mosque in the city and related a poignant custom put on by local authorities.

He said that the police officer outside the mosque "especially arranges for rose flowers to greet Muslims outside on this special day," he says. "Muslims accept their wishes and thank them for their extraordinary service."

Of course, after a month of fasting, food takes center stage. Libyan-American Sammi Addahoumi, currently spending his summer in the Libyan city of Benghazi, satisfies his sweet tooth with delicious sweets made in a local bakery.

Kunafah are mouth-watering Arabic sweets extremely popular during Eid. It has several variations according to the part of the Middle East where it is served. All have one thing in common -- they are delicious.

"Whether stacked or braided, stuffed with nuts or cream, it's always saturated for a period of time in syrup before it is ready for the public," he said.